NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Evening Star, Issue 13090, 24 October 1908, Page 8

N O-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

The Garrison Hall was well filled lastevening to hear the Rev. R. B. S. Hammond give the last of his series of lectures. He took for his subject * Life in the Sydney Slums.’ The Ven. Archdeacon Neild presided. In the course of his lecture Mr Hammond gave a graphic description of life as it was found among the submerged tenth, and ho detailed the work that was being done by the Anglican community in the way of improving the condition of the unfortunate denizens of the slums. They had all classes of people to deal with, including the hardened criminal, the domain “dosser,*’ the drunkard, and the physically sick. At the root of all the appalling vice and misery that was to be found was the open bar. In slumdan they had established fifteen Anglican churches, but in the same area there were four hundred open bars. He gave a vivid picture of life as it was found in such places as the Surrey Hills, where vice, dirt, and drink held imdisputed sway. In one | building Mr Hammond had counted one I hundred and thirty-five dwellcm. Jt was i in such plague spots as these that drink ret 1 loose the passions of men and blighted the lives of women and children. The brighter j side of the mission's labors was shown in j the homes that were established for the re- ! claiming of the unfortunate women and children, and the halls that were devoted to the holding of meetings for th© Christianising of the slum-dwellers. In spite of the almost insurmountable difficulties, those efforts were crowned with great success. Mr Hammond I kept his audience thoroughly interested, and I he was frequently applauded. During the j course of the lecture a number of excellent i pictures of slum life were thrown on the ! screen. At the conclusion of his address th© Rev. Mr Hammond was presented by the No- : license workers of Dunedin with a Mosgiel | travelling rug. Mr E. C. Hutton moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr G. B. Nicholls, and carried enthusiastically :—“ This meeting desire to place on record their appreciation of .the unselfish and self-sacrificing spirit shown by the Rev. R. ! B. S. Hammond in giving up his short boli- | day to arduous No-liocnso work, usually tie- j livering several addresses a day, for which he receives no financial benefit. Such | actions prove the claim made by the No- ‘ license party that their effort is one of self- : sacrificing love for the benefit of humanity.*’